Let’s start with a few questions.  

When was the last time you felt excited by or frustrated with your university experience? What does a day in the university look like for you? What brought you here? What motivates you in your work or studies? What challenges did you face? What gave you joy? 

These questions are an invitation to pause and reflect on your university journey, your highs, lows, and everything in between. By doing so we begin to think through the ways in which every story is unique and shaped by diverse perspectives, backgrounds and needs. And this is where one of the essences of human-centred design lies: empathy.  

Why does empathy matter? 

People have different perspectives, and stories have different points of view. Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives shaped by their past experiences, their identities, their learning needs, and yes, their hopes and their dreams. University as a nurturing and learning space, the people, expertise, policies, and environment have big impacts on our students’ lives. 

A singular approach cannot capture the diversity and richness of student experiences. What truly matters is listening and understanding the lived experiences of diverse perspectives of our students. By engaging with individual stories and journeys, we create opportunities to craft solutions that address real needs. This is why we initiated the Student Change Lab, to create space for collaboration between students and staff, addressing challenges rooted in students’ experiences and co-creating solutions that drive meaningful change. 

Cultivating meaningful dialogue through human-centred design approach 

Meaningful change begins with authentic dialogue that goes beyond surface-level interactions to embrace the whole person. In higher education, it’s more than about processes or systems, it’s about creating spaces where authentic conversations can flourish. 

By applying human-centred design principles, we foster empathy, encourage open conversations, and move beyond assumptions. This approach helps us see students as individuals beyond their academic roles, enabling the co-creation of solutions that are not just responsive but deeply resonant with their lived experiences. It’s through this shared journey that meaningful change takes root. 

Some insights from the journey so far 

Empathy is not just a principle, it’s an active continuous practice. Through conversations with students and academic representatives, I’ve seen how personal and nuanced student experiences can be. Here are some of the voices I’ve heard: 

• “I feel more comfortable speaking in my mother tongue. I came here to study and experience different cultures, but I often end up with people from my own culture, making it feel like I’m not experiencing the diversity I hoped for.” 

• “Many students don’t know what good practice looks like, so they’re unsure how to make the best use of academic advisors and other services.” 

• “I’m a visual learner, but my master’s programme relies heavily on text, which I struggled with. My bachelor’s had a better mix of learning styles from lecturers. ”  

• “It’s discouraging when feedback isn’t fully addressed by programme. Even if complex issues take time, it will help to know short-term solutions are in progress.” 

• “I didn’t realise (when I got assessed work returned) I had to click on the submitted document to access feedback studio.” 

These statements highlight how seemingly small issues can have a significant impact on the student experience. 

What we are trying to achieve 

The Student Change Lab aims to reimagine university life by amplifying empathy, collaboration, and co-creation into student voice conversations. Our objectives are: 

• For Students: ensure their voices are heard in a meaningful way, while equipping them with critical thinking and transferable skills that enhance their future careers. 

• For Staff: provide space for staff to engage directly with students, gaining deeper insights into their lived experiences. 

• For the Institution: create sustainable and scalable outcomes that shape how the university listens to and acts on student voices. 

How we will make them happen 

• Focus on lived experiences: involve diverse perspectives to ensure meaningful insights. 

• Lead with empathy: use design tools to listen actively and understand students’ real needs. 

• Foster collaboration: invite staff and students to work together, turning shared challenges into creative solutions. 

• Create lasting change: tackle one issue at a time to ensure sustainable and impactful solutions. 

• Measure what matters: collect feedback to continuously refine our efforts and improvements. 

What’s next 

• Workshops with student representatives: Empower reps to better capture and understand student voices. 

• Student Change Fellows: Invite passionate students to apply human-centred design to solve real issues in their programme. 

• Collaboration on specific challenges: Partner with students and staff to address key programme and service issues. 

Looking Ahead 

How can we reshape university life to meet students’ diverse needs and empower them to shape their own journeys? The Student Change Lab is just the beginning. By understanding students as individuals not just learners, we can create a thriving environment where they feel seen, heard, supported, and empowered. This human-centred design journey is more than about solving problems, it’s about building trust, care, and meaningful connections, and we’re excited to continue it with our students. 

Chiachi Ming, Research Associate on the human–centred design projects

Connect with Ming on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chiachiming 

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